Signs Stress Has You In A Chokehold

Stress has a way of sneaking up on you like an uninvited guest. They show up, they overstay, and then they eat all the food. So one minute you're cruising through life, and the next you're Googling whether stress can really cause hair loss.
Spoiler alert, yes it can. No, you don't always need a hair transplant just because you've had a tough week, but that may come later if you can’t get on top of it. The good news is that your body will send out plenty of signals before things get out of hand. And that even better news is that once you start to recognise those signals, you'll be able to start turning the tide.

You’re tired, but you're also weirdly wide awake
Stress messes with your sleep in the most confusing ways. You're exhausted all day and then bedtime rolls round and BAM, your brain suddenly decides it's time to party. Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling like you didn't sleep at all is one of Stress's most classic calling cards.

Everything is irritating you
If you've recently found yourself rage, scowling at slow walkers, loud talkers or anyone who breathes too confidently, stress might be pulling the emotional strings. It shortens your fuse, which makes tiny annoyances feel like major offences. You're not turning into a grumpy villain, your nervous system is just overwhelmed and doesn't know what to do with itself.

Your stomach is fighting back
Stress loves a good plot twist, especially when it comes to digestion. Maybe you're suddenly bloated for no reason, or you're dealing with heartburn, or you're visiting the bathroom more times than you care to admit. The gut brain connection is very real, and when your mind is overloaded, your bowels often become liquid.

Forgetfulness is a personality trait
How many times have you walked into a room lately and completely forgot why? When your brain is juggling too much, memory becomes slippery. It's not early onset Alzheimer's or anything, it's just an overworked mind waving a white flag to tell you that it needs a break.

Stress loves tension
Jaw, shoulders, neck, back, you name it - stress loves it. That tight jaw when you wake up, the stiff shoulders. By mid afternoon, your body is bracing for impact even when nothing is coming. Stress can play tricks on your brain and it's telling you that something is about to hurt. Left unchecked, this can morph into headaches or full body aches that seem to come out of nowhere.

You're feeling off, but you can't explain why
Sometimes stress doesn't show up with anything obvious. Instead, you feel disconnected or unmotivated or like your spark is flickering. It's a subtle emotional numbness that your mind's way of telling you to slow down.

Recognizing these signs doesn't mean that something's wrong with you, it just means that your body is doing its job. Stress might try to put you in a chokehold, but the moment you notice a sign, you're already starting to loosen its grip. Pay attention, because your body knows how to tell you what's wrong.

This is a contributed post.

Photo: Harper's Bazaar Korea